


Escape Plan

by azathothweirdo



Series: Of Crows and Royalty [2]
Category: Persona 5
Genre: Drugged Sex, Dubious Consent, F/M, Fantasy, gender flip
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2021-03-05
Updated: 2021-03-05
Packaged: 2021-03-18 04:01:58
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 8,744
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/29852271
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/azathothweirdo/pseuds/azathothweirdo
Summary: “Alright. We have a deal.”The grin Akechi flashes her makes her heart jump, feeling like a tiny rabbit in the grip of a predator.She just made a terrible deal with a devil. But Ren refuses to lose.“Perfect. I’m glad you understand who holds the power here, Amamiya Ren.”---After her first experience in the new world, Ren awakens in a new room. Now with little space to move, and Akechi constantly watching, she decides she has to escape. Even if it kills her.
Relationships: Akechi Goro/Amamiya Ren, Akechi Goro/Persona 5 Protagonist
Series: Of Crows and Royalty [2]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/2194686
Kudos: 15





	Escape Plan

The cold room wakes Ren up from her deep slumber.

Sitting up in the enormous bed, she sits there, blinking away the sleep that lingers. Rubbing her eyes before yawning and stretching her arms over her head, she debates on whether getting out of the warm blankets is worth it. While it’s not a deep warmth, it’s much nicer than outside and Ren would rather not touch the icy floor with her bare feet.

_‘But I should get up.’_ She thinks, pulling the covers over her shoulders a bit as she shivers. _‘I’ve got work today and if I’m late, my boss will be—wait.. that’s not right.’_

Grumbling to herself, Ren tries to focus on why that thought feels off.

She _has_ work today… right?

It’s a Saturday, so that’s a yes by default. She has to pay the bills somehow after all. But still… that feels so wrong, and she isn’t sure why. Something nags and pokes at her as she shivers, wondering why the heat isn’t on—oh. She’s… she’s not at home.

Feeling dread drench her heart, Ren looks around the large room and realizes she’s _not_ even close to being home. With the gray stone walls, and the gigantic fireplace to her left her Ren does not know who’s room this is. Her apartment is tiny, one room tatami apartment with the barest of essentials. She’s not even sure if a place like this exists in Japan the more she thinks about it. The panic of not being safe and sound in her bed hits her as she moves to get out of bed in a fury, throwing off the blankets to get out of there faster. The cold shock of the wood floor set things in order in her mind, making Ren freeze.

Her eyes widen as she remembers…. vivid and shocking harsh memories slam into her head.

She remembers going to her old high school with Mishima. She remembers the mirror pulling her in. She remembers waking up tied in the back of some covered kart. She… she remembers _Kamoshida_. She remembers that horrifying potion or whatever he made her drink. She remembers the heat, the desperation…. Then there was… then there was…

Ren squeezes her eyes shut as she hugs herself, leaning forward with a soft whimper as her cheeks burn. She doesn’t want to remember that aspect… her heart jumping into her throat as humiliation creeps up her back. Somehow she blinks away the tears that threaten to fall down her cheeks while the memory of the men cheering stabs into her. God, they all watched… watched as she was fucked over a table by some random stranger.

_‘I wish I was back home.’_

That simple thought breaks her.

Fat stinging tears roll done her cheeks as she curls into herself, letting out a soft shaking sob. She hates the feeling that rolls in her stomach and how her cheeks burn as she remembers the previous day. That drink rushed through her veins, setting her nerves on fire that even a simple touch made her scream. She remembers how good it felt each time he slammed into her. Ren’s hips ache, bruises reminding her that her body sang at the rough treatment. The disgusting cheers from the far too happy audience echo in her mind, as she grits her teeth and digs her nails into her arms.

She hates it all so much as she sits there, crying and sniffing at the memories, wishing it was a dream. But it’s not. The cool floor under her feet and the new location confirms she’s still not home, and how her body aches from the previous day makes it hit home all the harder.

Ren tries to tell herself it’s not her fault, that they drugged her with something that made her body react that way. That only does so much as she swallows, trying to control her tears with a gross, harsh sucking sniff, only to fail. A harsh sob wracks her body as she covers her mouth, knowing she needs to do this. She can’t keep these emotions all bottled up inside… it will only make things worse and cloud her judgment. And if Ren wants to live and get home, she can’t afford to be distracted. That danger from before hangs over her still even in this state. The shame still stings despite this and makes it hard for the tears to stop.

This is what fighting gets you….

It’s the sound of footsteps that make Ren get her shit together. They’re light, but hard enough to alert her someone is approaching the room she’s in. Sniffing and struggling to stop the tears, she wipes at her eyes and nose with a furious speed. She’s thankful that she at least has stopped the water works when the door opens, her heart thumping inside her chest.

_‘Please don’t be Kamoshida…’_ Ren thinks, her stomach rolling at the thought.

To her surprise and utter luck, it’s not.

It’s Akechi.

With a tray in hand, carrying a bowl and a mug, he peers down at her through his odd mask. She tries to turn away, sniffing a bit as she wipes away more tears that fall. Ren can feel his intense stare burn on her back, waiting for the comments to come about her crying. That odd brief twinge of knowing he’s judging her actions now hits. He’s watching her reaction, gaging how she controls her emotions as she figures. That’s at least what she’d be doing if she was in his shoes.

Thankfully, he says nothing as he steps into the room, closing the door behind him.

“I see that you’re up.” He walks past her, going further into the room. “You’ve been out since yesterday evening.”

Ren blinks at his words, watching him as he sets down the tray at a table in the room. She remembers everything mostly, even the most humiliating part, but after he picked her up… there’s nothing.

“You blacked out only a few seconds after we left the room.” Akechi explains, his tone even with his back to her. “And with that information… I bet you’re starving.”

He turns and smirks at her, taking a step to the side to show off the table. Her stomach growls at the sight of the food, and she can smell it from here. She’s surprised it smells decent considering her first day here... wherever here is.

She eyes the bowl however and does not move.

Sighing and rolling his eyes, Akechi picks up the spoon and takes a bite. “It’s safe, see?” He says, gloved hand covering his mouth, while the other drops the spoon back down into the bowl. “So you don’t have to worry about any poison. Just a simple stew that will warm you up.”

“…. I’m not worried about poison, really.” She admits, her voice cracking.

He frowns at her words and crosses his arms. “Given our previous encounter, you don’t have to worry about that either. I’d ruin the whole stew, really.”

They have a bit of a staring contest from there, both watching the other. After a minute, Ren admits her defeat and blinks before standing up. Shivering, she heads to the table and takes a seat, staring down at the meal before her. It’s not much, just a simple stew with an assortment of vegetables and a little meat. There’s bread with the meal, and a glass of what she assumes is wine given the deep red color of the drink in the tall glass.

Taking a deep breath through her nose, figuring she might as well get this over with, she takes a bite of the stew, and surprised by how decent it tastes.

Then again, with how hungry she is, about anything would taste good.

She hears Akechi moving around the room, stepping around her to head towards the fireplace she can see out of the corner of her eye. Ren doesn’t stop eating as she hears Akechi mutter a word, as a burst of warm heat hits her arms in the next second. Turning, she sees a roaring fire now, the crackling from the burning logs echoing in the room.

Akechi is dressed a bit more casually this time around. Not that she got a good look at his clothing last time. The shirt is black and button up, with the sleeves rolled up while his gloves are a dark black made of leather. With black pants as well, she’s not surprised his vest is also black with a bright red fancy tie, standing out the most about his attire.

He’s also still wearing that odd mask, making it hard to judge his emotions. It’s going to be a bit of a job to figure this guy out, but she’s up for it. Especially if she can figure out where she is and how to get home.

“I hope you don’t mind me dressing you in a nightgown. Doubt you would have enjoyed wearing your clothes from the previous day to bed.” He says, hand on hip.

Glancing down at her outfit, she’s a bit surprised she hadn’t noticed til now. It’s a simple little nightgown, with short little sleeves and flowing fabric that covers everything important. While a little chilly with how short it is, she admits to herself it is nicer than her uniform. Especially after what happened the previous day.

“It’s fine.” Ren says, turning back to the stew.

There’s a pregnant pause in the air as she eats, making her wonder if he expected more out of her. His footsteps do not surprise her, neither does him sitting down next to her in the free chair. He watches her, silent and as intense as a hawk. Ren decides to not pay him too much attention, to gauge how he acts when he’s not the center of attention.

If being quiet made Kamoshida angry, she’s curious if this character is similar. She doubts it, since he seems to be the leader of where ever she’s at. The mask thing is odd, but she’s curious if he’s in hiding… from what she does not know, but it’s a thought that crosses her mind. At the same time it’s so stark and unique, it’s not something people would forget if they ever saw it.

_‘You don’t hide your face like that if you’re not trying to not be recognized.’_ She glances at him as she sips at the wine, blinking at the taste and coughs.

“It’s not very good, but it’s the best you’ll get way out here.” Akechi snorts a bit as he watches her stick her tongue out in disgust.

_‘I’d rather drink straight rubbing alcohol than this…’_ she thinks, taking a bite of the stew to chase away the taste. ‘ _Talk about rotten grapes.’_

He’s still watching her as she eats after this and doesn’t even budge when she doesn’t reply to him. He’s content in monitoring her, she figures and is probably trying to figure her out as much as she is with him.

_‘Don’t forget…. He knows you’re not from around here.’_ Ren reminds herself, frowning when she sees she has no more stew. _‘Damn, can’t ignore him now.’_

Where around here is though is still a mystery to her. She is very much not in Tokyo or even remotely close to Oklahoma she imagines and wonders if the great city of Oz is nearby. Potions are a thing here apparently, so she wouldn’t be surprised if magic were around… whatever that means exactly.

Normal logic is right out the window after the day she had.

“Can’t ignore me anymore, can you?” Akechi asks, a smirk playing on his lips as he taps the table. “You’re a bit of an odd one, aren’t you?”

“…. Big words coming from a guy wearing a weird mask.” Ren says titling her head.

His smirk is strained as he lets out a slow breath through his nose. He didn’t expect that one, maybe thought she’d be intimidated, but hey after the day Ren had yesterday she’s not that impressed. Still, it’s nice to have one up a guy with his tone.

“Hmm, I can see how you angered Kamoshida already.”

“He did that himself.” Ren says glancing at her food. “I said nothing to him.”

“That would do it.” Akechi sighs as he looks away, across the table. “I apologize for his behavior for yesterday. Kamoshida is…. Someone I’d rather not have here, but he’s more dangerous if he’s not being looked after and killing him would make a bigger mess than it’s worth. Still, I at least hope he had some sort of honor among himself and his men. They proved me wrong yesterday…”

His apology is sincere at least, Ren can pick that up given how sour his tone became with the last few words. The killing aspect throws her a little, but at this point anything goes. Tugging at her favorite strands of hair, Ren twirls it around her finger.

“Thank you.”

“I’ll make sure you don’t encounter him ever again while you’re here.” Akechi adds his attention back on her.

She nods and hums a bit in response, her eyes drifting down to to her lap. Ren can tell that is also a sincere promise from him, a bit taken by how firm his words are.

“Which leads us to the key thing we need to discuss.” She feels the heat of his stare on her as his voice levels to a much darker ring. “You…. Are not from this world are you?”

Ren hesitates at the question, remembering she technically already answered the previous day. Tilting her head a bit, she shrugs her shoulders.

“I’m not really sure where I am so I could be.” She admits, tugging at her hair.

“Oh, don’t mock me.” She can hear the eye roll in his grunt. He shifts and drops a heavy object on the table. The clatter makes her bolt and turn her attention to it and as her eyes widen. She reaches out for it, instinct taking over.

“My phone--”

Akechi is faster and grabs her wrist with ease. His grip is powerful, and digs into her skin as he pulls her toward him.

“Ah, ah, ah.” He tsks, his fingers tightening around her wrist. “I didn’t say you could have it.”

Frowning, Ren looks at him, then at the phone before attempting to tug her arm away from him. His hold doesn’t budge and makes her gulp. He’s a lot… stronger than he looks.

“You call this a _phone,_ correct?” He tilts his head, his smirk back on his lips. “Fascinating little thing. I couldn’t get it to work at all for me outside of it lighting up.”

Ren hopes he hasn’t locked her out of her own phone, heart beating faster as her mouth goes dry.

“Given your reach, I take it you want it back, right?”

She stops herself from nodding right at his words, staring at him as she attempts to pull her arm back. All that gets her is a tighter grip, one that is enough to make her wince in pain. Finally she nods, heart twisting as she bites her lip.

“Then, tell me your name and it’s all yours.”

She almost tells him to fuck off, but holds her tongue. This isn’t like her previous day, she can tell this man is smart, or at least thinks he’s smarter than she is. Still, he’s not stupid like that Kamoshida so it’d be better to play along she figures.

“…. Amamiya.”

“Full name, please.”

“Yours first then… I doubt Akechi is yours.”

He hums in response, amused with her bite. “Fine, if you don’t want your little toy then I have no problem disposing of it.”

He reaches for it with his free hand, lifting it up in the air high enough. Ren feels her stomach flip as she glances at the hard floor below them. That would be enough to smash the screen, and she doubts he’ll just drop it. She knows well it won’t last for maybe a day with how shitty her battery is and no way she has service, but it’s… all she has from home.

Sucking in a breath and hissing, Ren turns away, not wanting to see his stupid face. “…. Ren. My name is Amamiya Ren.”

There’s a chuckle, and in a blink of an eye he releases her wrist. “There we go… now see how easy that was?”

Looking back, she sees him offering her phone to her. She swipes it away from him, holding it against her chest with one arm to inspect the one he held. Bright red mark’s form in the shape of his fingers stands out on her skin, making her glare up at him.

“This is how things are going to work between us Amamiya-chan.” He says, leaning towards her. “You, are at an enormous disadvantage and I know you understand this. I am more than willing to work with you… as long as you understand I am the one in control.”

Ren is silent as she narrows her eyes.

Asshole…

“But don’t misunderstand, I am more than willing to make a deal with you. If you answer my questions, follow my rules, and keep that attitude in check, I think we can work together fantastically.”

“…. So you hold all the cards and I do as you say? That doesn’t sound like a deal to me.” Ren says huffing at his suggestion.

“It is a deal for you! In return, you’re under my protection.” Akechi leans his chin in his hand, elbow propped up on the table. His smirk is on his lips, one she’s finding annoying with each passing second. “Unless, you think you can take care of yourself alone? You did an outstanding job yesterday.”

That was a low blow, Ren thinks, biting the inside of her cheek.

“I thought I wouldn’t encounter Kamoshida if I stayed here.” She offers, tilting her head.

“You really think I’d let you stay here if you can’t follow a few simple rules?” Akechi scoffs. “Yes, you won’t ever see him while you’re here. But I don’t care what happens outside these walls.”

Ren glances around, feeling tiny as she takes in what he says. Either she does as he says…. Or she’ll be thrown to the wolves.

What a deal.

_‘But it’s all I have.’_ Ren thinks, glancing at her phone. _‘That doesn’t mean I have to play along forever. I just have to stick with it, let him think he’s got the upper hand until I can get out of here.’_

Sighing and letting her shoulder sag, Ren nods her head.

“Alright. We have a deal.”

The grin Akechi flashes her makes her heart jump, feeling like a tiny rabbit in the grip of a predator. She just made a terrible deal with a devil. But Ren refuses to lose.

“Perfect. I’m glad you understand who holds the power here, Amamiya _Ren_.”

* * *

Somehow her second interrogation was more annoying than her first.

Sitting on the little windowsill, with her head against the glass, Ren really wonders how she gets into these odd situations. Akechi grilled her for hours, asking about this and even menial every day things. Ren answered them as best she could, getting the feeling she annoyed him more with her general answers than anything else.

Now here she is, in the same room as before, still dressed in the light nightgown looking out into a thick forest. She can’t see much else, just the top of trees as a bright sun shines above. A little earlier she noticed a few men going around doing things here and there, but never saw where they came from.

_‘At least that looks normal there.’_ She thinks, scanning the forest.

She hates she couldn’t get any info out of Akechi. Ren tried to lead with questions, to get some info about this new place she’s stuck at, but got nothing. He’s a bit too sharp for those she figures and wonders how she’ll get the upper hand on him.

_‘It’s going to take a while.’_ She reflects, pulling up her knees to hug them. _‘But I’ll get out of here…. And maybe I’ll get home.’_

It’s a small hope, one she’s not sure is possible, but it’s one she won’t give up.

At least not yet.

The room is warm now, and it’s not too bad. It’s spacious, hell it’s bigger than her sad one room tiny apartment. The bed is a four-poster type, one she’s seen in historical dramas reserved for royalty and the wealthy with its delicate carvings. It sits close to the door where she assumes leads to Akechi’s giving her less leeway in terms of a normal escape. The window she sits at is on the opposite wall from there, making it a simple place to observe the entire space.

The fireplace is thankfully good at warming the space it sits in, decorated with carvings of trees on either side and full of small animals to complete the look. It’s a roaring fire now, one she’s kept up with the wood Akechi provided before he left. To it’s left and close to the door ticks a large grandfather clock.

He didn’t leave her any fire pokers either, the smart bastard.

One glance at the trees outside and she’s sure it’s early spring with how little foliage they hold. No wonder why it’s so cold here despite the bright sun. She’s curious if it will get warmer as time goes on and hopes for it given the chill the room once held.

The table she and Akechi sat at while she ate is in the middle, sitting on a large rug with two chairs at it. Across from the fireplace is a door that she assumes leads to the bath, she hasn’t glanced at it. A tiny little voice in her head hopes for indoor plumbing given the oil lamp she spies next to the bed sitting on a small nightstand. There’s no chamber pot to be seen, so that at least gives her a relief of sorts.

_‘My hair is going to be a bigger mess.’_ She thinks, pulling at a lock to twirl around her finger. _‘Maybe I should cut it….’_

All that’s left to her little special bird cage is a large dresser just a few feet from her and the full body mirror next to it. Akechi pulled some clothing from there before he left, explaining he had a few things to do and he’d be back later with food for dinner. And here she’s sat for a good hour at least, trying to figure out her next steps.

_‘Bird cage is perfect way to describe for this place.’_ She pauses in her twirling, feeling her stomach twist. _‘Him and his stupid rules….’_

1\. She is not allowed outside this room alone.

2\. Do not talk to anyone without his presence.

3\. Do not call him Akechi. She is to refer to him as “Crow” if there is another person there.

4\. Do as you're told and don’t make him angry…

The fourth one is one she made up, but really it was implied with everything else he went on about. The third rule is the one that makes her especially snort and seems redundant at that point. If she can’t talk to anyone, how in the hell can she call him “Crow” in the first place?

Asshole.

_‘And I had sex with him to boot.’_ Ren thinks, letting her head hit the window with an audible thunk.

Not that wasn’t really her fault, but it still weirdly stings. Despite that, Ren pushes that feeling to the side, deciding to let things go for today. A break wouldn’t be bad, given how awful the previous day had been. Besides, she’s got plenty of time to figure out a way out.

If she rushes, he’ll catch on.

* * *

“What the hell is _that_?”

Hours after her initial talk with Akechi, Ren finally got the courage to explore the room more. The second door in the room lead to two more, one that turned out to be the toilet and the second being the full bath.

The bath had been pleasant. A sweet way to wash away the previous day and start off with something nicer before bed, she decided. And it was a pretty nice bathroom to boot. Indoor plumbing is a thing here, something she sighed in relief after seeing the toilet and sink. The tub here is especially nice, with warm water that filled fast and never lost the temperature. The style here is like a Japanese-style bath, where she took the time to wash up and rinsing her body off before soaking in the warm water.

It’s exactly what she needed after everything, and the soap smelled nice too. A bit like roses, she noticed, but nothing too harsh that would over power. She wondered if Akechi had slipped it in here, thinking she’d like it better than something with no scent. Ren isn’t picky, so the scent was a delightful surprise. Hell, the whole huge bath was nice, it even included a nice mirror.

As she stood up from the bath, the sight of her back caught her attention from the corner of her eye. Pausing, she moved her long hair out of the way, brining it to to hang over her shoulder.

Her heart jumps into her throat and the words fall out of her mouth as she stares at what she has found.

Ren feels her heart sink the more she stares, as dread settles in her stomach. Watching water droplets slide down her skin, as the world turns colder at the sight she sees.

It looks like a tattoo in the shape of a medium-sized black wing. It sits on her shoulder blade and stretches out across her skin. Just like how a real wing would sit.

It takes a moment, but the memory slaps her hard as Ren remembers the pain from when Akechi had fucked her. It seared into her skin and was fierce... almost painful enough to distract from everything else happening. The more she stares at it, her neck aching at the angle, the realization feel like a normal tattoo. Her throat goes dry as she tries to swallow.

_“But only because I’m claiming this woman as mine. You all see this mark correct? You know what this means... If I see any of you even remotely look at her, or attempt to touch her... your head is mine.”_

Akechi’s words echos as she closes her eyes as her whole body shakes. Is that what it is? Some kind of mark to make sure everyone knows not to touch her? Or is it something more?

_‘It has to be.’_ Ren thinks as she settles back into the bath, brining her knees up to hug them. _‘I doubt it would hurt if it was just a simple tattoo to mark who I belong too.’_

That thought makes her stomach roll, eyes squeezing shut as, and she bites her lip. She belongs to Akechi… what bullshit. Makes her blood boil the more she thinks about it. He can think that’s what she is, that he has her all figured out now and can what info she’s given against her.

Fine, let him think that. It’ll be all the more satisfying when she gets away to know the anger it will bring.

* * *

“You’re not dressed yet again?”

Ren blinks at Akechi as he holds her breakfast tray in his hands. Looking down at her, he sees the start of a sneer. Shifting in her spot at the edge of the bed and pulling the blanket around her shoulders a bit more, Ren rubs the sleep from her eyes before yawning. She glances at the dress and other clothing beside her on the bed, laid out all neat and pretty. Her sleepy gaze focuses on the undergarments, her anxiety poking at her as she eyes the corset in particular.

The previous day, after her staring contest with the trees, she tried to get dressed. Getting the corset to benefit her had…. been an experience. It was easier to just stay in the light nightgown and figured he wouldn’t care. After all, he _is_ the only one who will see her in her little bird cage. Why does he care what she wears?

“Is this some sort of protest?” He asks with a scoff before she can answer. He even slams the tray down with an annoyed grunt. “Going to stay in a nightgown all day after I went through the trouble to get you some decent clothing?”

Rolling her eyes, she follows Akechi to the table, taking hold of the chair to sit down. His reflexes are quick, his hand snapping out and takes hold of her wrist. He pulls her away from the chair, making her loose the warm blanket.

“Hey it’s co—”

“No, this is not how this is going to work. You are going to get _dressed_ and then you will eat.” Akechi orders, dragging her towards the bed. “Now go on.”

Ren pulls her wrist from Akechi, glaring. “Are you serious? Why the hell do you care if I’m in a nightgown all day or not?”

“Because Amamiya.” He takes hold of her face, squeezing her cheeks as he makes her look up. “I am going out of my way to make you comfortable. If you really want to be this obstinate, then can happily let you sleep in the cold wearing the nightgown you seem to like so much. Do you understand?”

She grips her hands into tight fists at his threat. “Understood.”

Don’t fight back just yet, her instincts whisper. He’s a lot smarter than most. You can’t push your way through this.

But god does she wish she could punch his stupid face.

He keeps her there for a moment, examining her expression before he shoves her back a bit as he lets her go. “Good. Now get dressed and you may eat.”

Ren rubs her jaw, turning to face the bed with her clothing. She feels her heart beat faster as she stares, her eyes landing on a corset. She wonders where he even got the damn thing and if it’ll even fit her.

“Your food is getting cold.” Akechi points out, foot tapping.

“I _know_. It’s just…” Ren rubs her arms, feeling her cheeks heating.

“It’s just _what_?” Akechi grunts. “What is the issue Amamiya?”

Groaning and letting her head hang a little, Ren decides it’s better to get this out now rather than later.

“I don’t know how... I don’t know how to put a corset on.”

Akechi is silent for a moment, staring at her in what she assumes is disbelief, hating that mask more while she blushes.

“You must be joking.” He laughs at this, shaking his head. “What in the world do women wear then for... _support_?”

He gestures to her general figure, and she can feel his stare linger on her breasts.

“Corsets were a thing, but like not used for at least a hundred years.” Ren says with a tilt of her head. “I had a bra with me when I came here. What happened to that?”

“Those items are none of your concern now.” Akechi says, crossing his arms. “But you’re absolutely serious on this corset thing, aren’t you? You do not know how to put one on?”

She isn’t fond of how he dodges the question, but figures he’s going to use that for leverage later. He did that with her phone the day before, after all. Sighing, she nods her head, running a hand through her hair.

“Yeah, I don’t know how to put the corset on.” She admits.

Akechi is quiet for a moment before he approaches the bed.

“Alright, then I’ll help you.”

“Eh?”

Akechi's sigh is dramatic as his stupid mask is as he motions for her to come over. “I said I’ll help you. Besides, its better I teach you so you can do this on your own.”

She’s a bit surprised by his words, watching him look through the clothing before finding what he wants. When he sees she hasn’t come close at all, so with a grumble he takes hold of her arm and pulls her closer.

Before she knows it, she’s ready for the corset. Akechi takes his time to explain how to wear this, how to wear that with each new piece of clothing. He even shows her how to button up her new shoes first before it’s for the big part of the outfit she’d been dreading.

The corset.

She’s curious how he knows this much about woman’s clothing, but his words and instructions are so matter of fact she wonders if this is just general knowledge.

“It should clip in the front.” Akechi tells her as he wraps the corset around her middle, from behind. She feels his breath tickle her neck as he peeks over her shoulder. It sends a chill down her spine, making her stand up straighter.

“Like this?” She asks, trying to ignore how warm he feels pressed against her.

“Yes, just like that.” He moves back away from her when it’s set, and takes hold of the corset. “I made sure to find the right kind that would be easy to do yourself. So you pull it like this…”

With ease he tightens it, showing how she can do it herself the next time. Ren taken back by how not…. strangling tight the garment is. Sure, it’s a snug fit, but not enough to make her pass out. She’s seen so many historical movies where the heroine nearly suffocates to death with these things. It’s different from a bra, but it’s not the worse thing ever like she planned for.

“Huh.” She tilts her head as she moves, testing out how it feels. She bends this way, then that, over and backwards as well. All movements are possible, to her surprise. “I thought this would be so tight I wouldn’t be able to breathe.”

“Why would it be like that?” Akechi frowns at her words as he picks up the next set of clothing. “It needs to support you, not kill you. Now, arms up.”

“Corsets don’t have that good of a reputation where I’m from.” Ren explains as she puts her arms up. “I’ve seen so many movies where they’re so constricting, the character can’t breathe right. I’ve heard that they even deformed woman’s bodies when they were used.”

He laughs at this, pulling the skirt over her head, and down to her waist. “That sounds like someone who’s never had a corset on then. Is that why you avoided wearing this? Ridiculous.”

Ren wonders if that was a genuine laugh. It was light, kind of cute and nice?

That’s an odd word to put with Akechi. Nice…

She can’t dwell on that thought for too long since more layers come, each with a bit of a brief explanation of how to button or tie them. Soon enough Ren’s done, and the dress isn’t half that bad. Looking in the mirror Akechi brought last night, the deep red dress fit her form nicely. The sleeves are more poofy than she’s into, but she figures it’s the style. The little black bow around her neck is a delicate touch as well, and the black skirt matches well with the red blouse.

“There…. Now you can eat.” Akechi says, hands on hips. He stares for a moment, looking her up and down before he smiles. “I was correct, red is an excellent color on you.”

Ren twirls in the dress, watching how it flows out and lays down. It’s such an odd feeling, but she does like it, and the skirt even comes with pockets! _Deep_ pockets at that. Something most modern clothing for women sorely lacks. She’ll be able to keep her phone on her at all times now, which is a relief.

She notices Akechi take out a pocket watch as she stares at herself in the mirror. He snaps it shut before he slips it into his pocket again.

“I have to go. Leave the tray at the table and I’ll clean it up later. Don’t do anything stupid while I’m gone, of course.” He says as he pauses, tucking a bit of hair behind her ear.

Tipping her chin up, he leans down a little, smirking.

“And if you’re a good little kitty, I might just get you a treat.”

He kisses her cheek, light and sweet as Ren feels her mouth go dry. She says nothing, mind racing to figure out what the hell he’s up to. He leaves, closing the door behind him, while Ren releases her breath.

Touching her cheek, Ren reflects on glimpse she saw of his room. Small, yes, but it’s enough to see that her assumption about a second bedroom behind that door is right. She tucks that information away as she turns heads to the table to eat.

She needs more info before she can plan a full escape, but this is a good start.

* * *

“ _Books? You want something to read? That’s fair.”_

Ren was at first surprised by how easy her request was received after her first boring day in her nice cage. Akechi blinked at her, but it was clear he understood her issue. He too would probably go mad with nothing to do in a room such as this, so yes, it was a fair desire.

What she didn’t plan on was him being so damn smart.

The books Akechi provides on her second day after lunch are mostly fictional. Some have interesting folklore, reminding her of an odd mix of the old yokai stories she heard as a kid and stuff from the UK. Some names of the creatures here are the same as the one in her world, while there are some that are different. The other half of the collection is romance books, reminding her of the classic Pride and Prejudice in style from a quick skim. Not her thing usually, but it chases the boredom away with ease so she doesn’t complain.

Most hold zero information on the world in its current state or her exact location. Akechi is careful in his book choices. They’re old, with that classic musty smell that comes with age. One almost falls apart when she opens it, making her be extra gentle with a few others from then on. Anything that has a location or context for the world is so ancient she can tell it’s useless.

Asshole…. can’t even give her anything to work with, can he?

Thankfully, the writing inside said books is similar enough to kanji Ren has little trouble reading. There’s a bit of oddness here and there, but nothing she can’t work through after re-reading a sentence or two.

Shifting through the pile, Ren wipes the thick dust from one enormous book at the bottom. The weight sits in her hands, reminding her of an old textbook she would find in her school library as a child. There’s no title on the cover, nor on the spine making her curious as she cracks it open.

Metra.

That’s the first word she stares at with the front page. Simple and forward and one she’s seen previously in the other books. Frowning, she turns a few more pages, eyes skimming the first few.

_‘Wait…’_ Ren licks her lips as she shifts in her seat, sitting up a bit more as she slows her reading. _‘…. Is this a… history book?’_

All she needs is to flip a few more pages to discover that yes indeed, this is a history book.

_‘… Oh shit, I might actually have something here.’_

Glancing at the door, she swallows, feeling her throat go dry. She hasn’t seen Akechi in about an hour or two, making her nervous. Did he mean to give her this book? Or did he by accident not realize this was in the stack he provided?

Either way, Ren isn’t about to pass this chance up and reads.

Metra is indeed the country she currently sits in, she discovers. A simple little name for a large country with a heck of a history from what she can tell. The book goes over the history simply, never explaining much and feels exactly like an old textbook. It’s more than enough to give her a better footing, however, and she’ll use that to her advantage.

_‘I wonder what year it is here… or how even the calenders work.’_ She thinks, glancing at the old grandfather clock next to the fireplace. _‘At least time is measured in the same way.’_

Metra is a large kingdom that holds many little sections, reminding her of home’s providences. Nobles run these areas and answer directly to the head of the county, a high and mighty king. Or a queen, depending on who’s in power and what has gone down. It’s clear this place has had a hell of a history with how many revolutions, attempted coups, and assassinations she stumbles across in her reading.

_‘Sounds like a nightmare.’_ Ren thinks, flipping another page of the book. _‘Being royalty must be hard.’_

Magic seems to be a thing as well, or what they claim is magic, anyway. It complicates the history the more she goes through the book. It never really goes to deep into what this power is, or where it comes from to her disappointment. After all, if it’s a simple little trick then she could learn it too, right?

There is a frightening amount of massacre’s through the years thanks to this. Wars sound even nastier. Not to mention there’s a throwaway line of one king happily _experimenting_ on his people.

What a place.

Still, she wonders if she could use magic thinking back to the mark on her back. Akechi put that there… but for what reason, she can’t really think of any. He used it to make a statement to his men; she remembers that, at least. But other than that, it seems useless.

_‘I’m sure it has it other uses.’_ She sighs, turning another page. _‘I doubt he’ll tell me if I ask him.’_

Then there was also the potion Kamoshida forced her to drink….

Shaking her head and getting back to her book, Ren decides to not think about that. 

It's thankfully not to hard to loose herself in these new books, enjoying her attention being somewhere else for a moment.

* * *

“Why do you always sit in here all night?”

It’s only been four days, but Ren has noticed a pattern. Akechi comes in the morning, leaves. He comes in the afternoon with lunch, then leaves again. At night he’s back with her dinner this time. He sits with her while she eats, watching her, sometimes making snide remarks which she returns.

And then he waits for her to finish her bath after dinner, not saying much by that point and often engrossed in a book. Or he at least acts like it as she gets ready for bed, that stupid mask always obscuring his eyes.

Then he sits in the dark… watching her sleep.

That part is unnerving, especially on the first two nights. That suffocating heat of someone’s eyes stuck on you as you try to fall asleep is the worst. She’s sure she only got a few hours of sleep that night, each time waking up and finding him sitting there still.

Watching her.

By the third night she is use to it. If he wants to be weird like that, fine. Ren isn’t about to lose sleep while he is... giant creep.

_‘Does he even sleep?’_ She wonders, watching him keep his eyes on his book. _‘Hell, does he eat? I don’t even think I’ve seen him eat too.’_

That little nagging question of if he’s human pokes at her. She remembers the creatures mentioned in the old folktale books. Is Akechi one of those? Pretending to be a human for fun while they run around him?

That thought sends a shiver down her spine, but she doubts it. Her best guess he’s just... weird. And probably eats separate because of some concern over poison or something.

Weird Asshole.

“Why does it matter to you?” Akechi asks, flipping a page in his book.

Sighing as she sits down at the side of her bed, Ren figures that would be his answer. Brushing her hair out, she works out the knots with ease. There are a few tough ones that make her wince, but nothing new there. Her hair has always been this way for as long as she can remember it.

“Because it’s creepy that you watch me every night.” Ren sighs as she runs her fingers through her hair, separating it into three strands, once she sets her brush down.

“I will not attack you in your sleep.” She can hear the eye roll in his voice. “Don’t worry about what I do at night. All you need to do is sleep.”

“If you’re up all night being a creep…” she hears him hiss at her words. “When do you sleep?”

There’s nothing as she braids her hair, a tense silence building between them. As she finishes, she stares at him, waiting for an answer as Akechi continues to stare at his book. He hasn’t flipped a page in over five minutes; she realizes.

Wait…. does he? No way he can’t possibly -

“Do you fall asleep watching me--”

“I do no such thing!”

The snap is instant, making Ren’s eyes widen.

Holy shit, he really falls asleep in that chair sitting up?

The first snort escapes her lips as she turns away, covering her mouth. A sudden action she tries to hide, but fails. She tries to control her giggles from there, a few loose along with louder snicker. Ren can feel the anger radiate off the man as he glares at her, as she cannot control herself. She laughs hard, harder than she has in days.

Hell, has she even laughed at all?

What a silly thing... falling asleep in some uncomfortable chair as he watches her sleep! What is he trying to do anyway? Look cool in case she wakes up!? What in the world is this guy thinking?

“Stop laughing.” Akechi warns from his spot, his voice a dead serious tone.

Ren however cannot stop herself. She feels tears prick at her eyes, finding his tone even funnier. It’s not even that big of a deal anyway! It’s just... so stupid! She can’t help it!

Akechi growls from his spot, slamming his book down, stomping footsteps follow. Before she can see him, he’s already on her, shoving her back onto the bed. Climbing on top of her, he pins her wrists above her head. Knees straddling her hips, his other hand wraps around her throat, squeezing. Her laughs stop, Ren’s heart jumping into her throat.

“I don’t know what you find so funny, but I’d advise you to stop laughing.” He warns, squeezing harder.

Ren swallows at the feeling, the thumping in her ears vibrating through her being. The heat off of his body drifts against her as she stares at his masked face.

Guess he certainly does not like her laughing at him, does he?

“You’re the one falling asleep while watching me.” Ren shifts, feeling that itch of a fight in her poke back. “It’s ridiculous when you don’t have too.”

Akechi is silent for a moment, his grip never loosening. He tsks, turning his head a bit.

“You have no idea what I need to do and what not too.” Akechi warns, turning his attention back to her. “If you’re uncomfortable with me watching…. then maybe _sharing_ a bed would be better?”

A little thrill runs down her spine at the suggestion, making her grip her hands into fists. Sharp anger follows, hating how tempting the offer sounds. Despising how she remembers the odd kiss to the cheek a few days ago, or how he helped her. His remarks have been annoying, but he has done nothing to her. He’s done nothing but help her… at the loss of her own agency.

She can’t leave this room, can’t feed herself, he won’t even tell her where she’s at, let alone what’s happening. Ren is at his mercy, and she can’t shake off the feeling something more is going on. That he’s playing with her, planning on using her, and she’s powerless against it.

There is a temptation that pulls at her to give up, let him do what he wants with her. It reminds her of their first meeting, pushing through the shame that lingers, making her nerves tingle. It’s annoying, the way it itches now, making her heart thump as he shifts above her.

Pride wins out as she feels the fight in her as it pushes against everything else. She can’t stand the thought of seeing his stupid smirk every day if she gave up. The only thing that keeps her going is the satisfaction that one day… she will get out.

She glares at him as he leans closer to her face, breath ghosting her lips. With a huff, she turns her head to the side, eyes narrowing.

“Get off of me.”

“Not until you let me know which would you prefer?”

She hates the tension that’s lingered between them since their first day. It’s been small, through touches, glances, and a few words. Ren’s tried to ignore it, hoping it will disappear soon if there’s no attention. But it stays, growing and shifting between them as they do this odd dance.

_Just give up, it tempts her more, it could be more enjoyable…_

No, she can’t. There’s... something off about his side.

She’s noticed the glances from him as she does things. The way he watches her, as if he’s looking for something familiar. As if he knows her already and is trying to confirm it. It’s unsettling and makes her skin itch more and more.

Like he’s holding back, tempted to reach out to her, but pulls back at just the right moments. There are days it looks as if he wants to talk to her about something, the way he holds himself sometimes around her is casual. As if they’ve known each other for years, and he’s missed her. When he realizes she’s noticed his movements, he pulls back, going right back to being stiff, his words now colder in their bickering.

What’s his deal…. why is he like this?

What’s worse is a part of her wishes for his touch. That relief it gave, how good it felt that first meeting remains some nights. As if that heat is threatening to return and he’s the only way to smolder it out.

And if she were to accept his offer tonight? A lot more would happen than sharing a bed. She can feel it in her gut.

She sighs, closing her eyes, pride biting at her again as she feels that fight leave. It’s not worth it tonight. She scared of what will happen if she keeps poking at him. Their position already too tempting as he shifts above her.

“I don’t want you in the same bed as me…. as long as I live.”

There’s a pause before he sighs through his nose.

Is that… disappointment?

She feels him push himself away, his weight disappearing off the bed as his hands leave her body. She hears his footsteps walk away, heading to his spot once more. The chair creaks as he sits, while Ren pushes herself up to sit. Silently she pulls the blankets and sheets back, slipping under them. She doesn’t dare to look at Akechi, feeling the tension between them different now. She turns out the lamp once she’s comfortable, dousing the room in darkness.

He’s not watching her tonight, she feels as she pulls the covers over her head.

A million questions rush through her mind as she forces herself to relax, to ignore the heat that throbs through her.

Ignore How that disappointed little sigh oddly hurts. Just ignore it, it means nothing.

She needs to get out of here soon.

**Author's Note:**

> I'm usually a pretty slow writer, so when I actually wrote the whole fic in a span of a week I was pretty surprised. It was actually a lot of fun to write, so I hope you all enjoy it! Thanks to some stuff I wasn't able to edit it like I usually would so it's a bit later than I wanted. I also decided to spit it into two chapters since it's nearly over 30 pages long, and I personally like breaks. So I should have the next chapter either up this weekend or the following week depending on how fast I can edit. 
> 
> It was a lot of fun to write this out, so I hope you enjoy it. So thank you for reading, and please let me know what you think of this chapter as well!


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